


Carol's Choice

by The_fake_ReliusClover



Series: Voyagerverse [1]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/F, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Family Reunions, Fluff and Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, Mutual Pining, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 01:37:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18561301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_fake_ReliusClover/pseuds/The_fake_ReliusClover
Summary: Before that fateful plane crash in 1989, Carol Danvers was Maria Rambeau's girlfriend and a second mother to their daughter, Monica. But after everything that had happened with the Kree, the question remains.Does she remember the love she had shared with Maria? Will Carol stay this time?





	1. The Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When it comes to fics, my preference tends to steer towards story driven general fics in an ongoing story rather than short romance fics that revolve around a specific pairing. My strengths as a writer lines up with that, but I want to go out my comfort zone for a change. Although I love general fics, I must admit that I enjoy a good ship fic every once in a while. In fact, it was WhiteravenGreywolf's "If I stay" series that made me fall in love with this Captain Marvel pairing in the first place. Give their series a read if you're curious. They're fun, emotional, and well thought out for a fanfic. Since I plan to do a lot more fluff and ship pieces within this universe I plan to develop, I thought that I might as well start as soon as possible.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the show, and please feel free to send feedback to evaluate my skills in this area of fic writing.

**Nevada**

**1983**

A woman sat alone in her apartment. She looked out her window over to her town and the sprawling desert beyond. She sighed.

It's been a long year for Maria Rambeau.

She had just graduated from Air Force Academy but had to settle for being a mere test pilot because women were not yet allowed to serve their country by flying in combat missions. She then got pregnant by a man who had left her when she needed him the most. While she was grateful to Doctor Lawson for giving her the time she needed to have and raise this baby, Maria felt more uncertain about her future than she ever had been in years.

How is she going to do right by this baby if she was also going to try to pursue her career in the air?

Does she even want that career when her every attempt to get into a position that would allow her to make a difference are being blocked by narrow-minded bureaucrats?

And if she did decide to quit the Air Force, would that life lead to anything satisfying? Would that choice make everything that she had worked for in these past few years be for nothing?

Maria didn't have any answers, and that scared her more than anything.

It was then that her roommate, Carol Danvers, came in with bags of groceries in her arms and a goofy smile on her face. She announced, "Hey honey, I'm home! I bought enough food to feed a dozen pregnant women. You're welcome."

Maria laughed. She could always depend on her best friend to lift her spirits up. She could always rely on her... friend for anything. Friend... that word could never fully describe what she meant to Maria. Carol was like a sister to her, or... something more. It was confusing.

"I... thanks for the help," Maria said as she walked up and carried a couple bags off Carol's arms and placed them on the counter.

As she put her own bags on the counter, Carol can't help but notice the trouble hanging on Maria's face. She asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Maria looked away and answered, "I just... have a lot on my mind."

Carol took her friend's hands and looked at her warmly. "If it's about the baby, I already told you that I'm ready to step up if you need me."

Maria sighed. "It's not just that. I... I'm not sure I can keep going like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... I feel like I'm being forced to make a choice here. Be a good mom or be a good pilot."

"You don't think you could be both?"

"I want to," Maria mumbled sadly before taking seat on the couch, "If I knew for sure that I can do both, I would without hesitation. But ever since Frank left me, I just... I can't help but think that pursuing my career means that I have to sacrifice my family. And what would be the point? It's not like the Air Force will ever let us do anything important after Project PEGASUS."

"You don't know that," Carol objected softly.

"Perhaps I don't, but...", Maria's eyes begin to water, "I just feel trapped, and I don't see any way out. No matter what I do, I'll mess something up. The baby or..."

Carol interrupted by moving close wrapping Maria around in an embrace. "You're not gonna mess this up."

Maria sniffled. "How do you know?"

Carol pulled away and smiled. "Are you not the same woman who endured those sexist pricks in the academy with me? The same woman who pursued her dreams even when everything and everyone seemed to be dead-set against her? We've been through tougher scrapes before. I know we can pull through now."

Maria let out a small smile. "You make it sound so easy."

"It won't, but...", Carol said as she held Maria's waist and leaned her head closer to hers, "I will always be there for you. And for the baby. And I'll always love you."

That last part made Maria's eyes widened. They were so close now, so close that she could feel Carol's warmth on her skin and the breath coming out of lips. She... meant that platonically right? There's no way someone as amazing like Carol Danvers could ever want... someone like her.

Carol caught on what she just said. She pulled away as shame washed her face. "I didn't mean... like that."

Carol was a terrible liar. Maria knew from the sincerity of her words and the blush on her cheeks that she loved her... as much as Maria grew to love her over the years. Maria wouldn't dare act on these feelings before. If she had lost Carol then, she would've fallen apart. But maybe now, there is a chance...

Maria closed the distance lightly tapped her forehead next to Carol's. She held Carol's cheek as her friend breathed heavily and looked away, but Maria held her head up in order to look deeply into her beautiful brown eyes. After what felt like an eternity, the two leaned in and shared their first kiss.

Their kiss was gentle, yet passionate. Carol held Maria's waist softly as she gave into the ecstasy of kissing the woman she had wanted for years. Maria wrapped her arms around Carol's neck as she smiled into the blonde's soft lips, her tears becoming that of joy when seeing her love realized.

Once the two pulled away, they breathed heavily as the two women looked into each other's eyes in a new and wonderful light.

Carol laughed. "I never knew you liked me like that. You were with Frank, so I didn't think you..."

"I did love Frank," Maria spoke wistfully, "But we had different plans, and... he was never there for me when I needed him. But you... you stuck by me, for all these years. You're a pain in my ass, but you were also always there for me to lean on. And after what we've been through together... how could I not fall in love with you?"

"I think my last few exes might give you a good number of answers," Carol joked before saying more seriously, "You don't... you don't mind that I'm a woman?"

Maria raised her eyebrow. "The great Carol Danvers insecure of her gender? Now that's a surprise."

"Seriously. You don't mind loving a woman?"

Maria shook her head and responded immediately. "No. Do you?"

Carol inhaled sharply as her eyes wandered away from Maria's gaze. She spoke up hesitantly, "My father, he... in middle school, he caught me with another girl. He said that my behavior was unnatural, shameful... wrong."

Maria looked at Carol with pity. From what little she knew of her father, Maria knew that he was sexist bastard who tried to force Carol to be what a woman "should be". However, she was always suprised at how much worse he is every time Carol spoke of him.

Carol quickly shook her head and smiled as she looked into Maria's eyes. "But what did he know?"

Maria's smile grew as she moved in for another kiss. When the two separated, she said, "I love you!"

"So it's decided?", Carol said with an anxious laugh, "We'll continue being badass pilots and take care of the baby at the same time?"

Maria caressed her beloved's cheek. "As long as you are with me every step of the way."

"I'll be the best aunt ever!"

Maria shook her head. "You're gonna be her mom too."

Touched beyond words, Carol moved in for another kiss.

* * *

**New Orleans**

**1995**

Maria was gathering dirty plates and was on her way to the dishwasher. While she was walking, Maria took in the new and interesting sights in her home.

Sitting on the stairwell was her young daughter, Monica, hanging out with a green alien girl who was about her age with an alien cat sitting next to them. The alien girl's parents were catching up for lost time in the dining room. And finally, Carol was washing some dishes with a secret agent, whom she is giving some kind of weird alien pager to.

For a moment, Maria thought about how crazy this entire situation was. Carol, who became a super soldier with glowing fists since the six years she had saw her last, suddenly showed up in her house with a SHIELD agent named, Nick Fury. Then she was visited by a pair of green men calling themselves Skrulls, who roped her and Carol into a wild space adventure that saw them save a bunch of alien refugees, fight off crazy blue space fascists, played an elaborate game of keep away with an ancient alien cube, and in the end, Carol saved the day by glowing like a golden goddess and destroying the alien fleet that threatened to wipe out all life on Earth.

All on her own.

If Maria didn't know any better, she'd think that she was describing the plot of a  _Flash Gordon_ movie. But it happened. Maria honored Doctor Lawson's wishes by saving the Skrull refugees she was looking after, and she had Carol back after thinking she was dead for six years. Well... not quite.

From what she understood, Carol had been abducted by the blue space fascists, the Kree, after she had gained her powers from Doctor Lawson's Lightspeed Engine. Her love had been brainwashed by those monsters and spent the next six years as their pet soldier with no memory of her past.

Ever since they had saved the Skrull refugees, Carol had been slowly regaining the memories that the Kree took from her. While she hasn't regained all of it yet, the Carol she knew from before was back for the most part.

But with everything that had happened, Maria didn't know if her beloved remembered the true depth of the feelings they had for one another. If she remembered that fateful day in 1983. Or the dates they went out in Pancho's disguised as a girls' night out. Or the kisses they shared in secret and the nights in bed they had spent with each other. Carol wasn't as affectionate to her as she once was, although that could be due to the sheer urgency of the situation.

Regardless, Maria couldn't tell if the Carol she got back remembered how much she truly loved her. She had mourned Carol's "death" for the past six years. After Project PEGASUS had shut down, Maria tried to honor the promise she had made to Carol by using her mechanical and flight skills in the commercial sector while being a good mother to Monica. It was... difficult most days, but by the time Carol walked back into her life, Maria thought she had moved on.

But when she saw that the woman she had mourned came back to her alive, Maria could barely keep it together. This crazy space adventure had kept her mind off her feelings, but now that they had won, Maria was forced to face a frightening possibility.

Did the love that she and Carol shared died in that plane crash six years ago?

It's been so long.

What if Carol didn't love her anymore?

Maria shuddered as she closed the dishwasher. She just wanted to talk to Carol and see where they stand, but she was afraid of what she is going to say. She was afraid that Carol would tell her that she doesn't remember what they had together, or worse, she would say that it was best if they "remain friends" given their unique situation.

It was a selfish feeling. After all, it was miracle that Carol came back to her in the first place. But Maria couldn't help but feel this way. Ever since Carol came back, she had been holding out hope that things between them will go back to the way they were before. If Carol had left her again...

"I don't think I could handle it this time...", she thought with a forlorn look on her face.

Carol noticed Maria's sad expression. She parted from Fury and walked towards her old friend with a concerned look on her face. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Here we go again," Maria thought. She shrugged and answered, "It's... it's been a long day. I mean it's not every day you take part of a dogfight with an alien jet and save the world."

Carol saw through Maria's attempt to be casual. "You're deflecting, aren't you?"

Maria looked down. "I suppose I don't have much of a poker face."

Carol held her friend's shoulder. "Do you want to talk alone?"

Maria looked into her friend's beautiful brown eyes. It took her back to that day in 1983, where they discovered their feelings for one another. They were comforting, but also very frightening if the love Maria was feeling right now was only in her mind.

Hesitantly, Maria answered, "Yes..."

Carol nodded and the to went out the back door. Under the moonlit skies, Carol said, "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now. Me coming back from the dead, you risking your life against the Kree, I... I'm sorry if I made things difficult for you."

Maria laughed. "Don't be. It brought you back to me, and it was fun doing something that mattered. I almost forgotten what that felt like. Thank you."

Carol smiled back but then looked down solemnly. "Listen, I know this is sudden, but after I help Talos find a new Skrull homeworld, I was thinking that I should do right by the Kree's many victims and use my powers to... save people. You know?"

"So... you're not staying after all?", Maria asked as her smile dropped.

"I'm not sure," Carol said as she played with her fingers nervously, "Maybe? I don't really have a plan in mind."

Maria sighed. "Are you going to at least visit your mom at least once? She deserves to know that you're alive."

"That's definitely on my 'to-do list'," Carol nodded, "Perhaps I will find the time to visit after all."

That filled Maria with hope. Should she ask Carol about their relationship now? Was it worth it?

"Do you... remember that day in 1983? When we were still working for PEGASUS?"

Carol chuckled. "I remember a lot of days in 1983. You're gonna have to be more specific."

"Smartass," Maria teased, "It's... I was still pregnant with Monica and Frank had just left me. I was... doubting myself. Doubting my future. I've been meaning to ask... do you remember the promise we made to each other? Like, at all?"

Carol squinted as she tried her best to recall the day Maria was mentioning. After a tense silence (for Maria, at least), Carol smiled and said, "I promised that I will help you raise Monica and that you'll never give up flying. You said that I was... I was Monica's mom too. You were... are the love of my life. Heh, I can't believe I'd forgotten that."

"Well, you did have your brain tampered with by Smurfs, so I'm not holding it against you."

Carol shook her head chuckling. "After everything started to come back to me... I wasn't sure which memories were real and which were fake. When I remembered that day... remembered us, I... I almost didn't believe it was true. The Kree liked gay relationships as much as my dad did, and... I was convinced that you deserved someone better than me. Someone less... damaged."

Maria took her love's hands into her own. "Why would I want anyone else? I've loved you for six years, Carol, and I've mourned you for six more. Now that I got you back, I... I can't imagine being with anyone else."

"Maria..."

Maria started to tear up again. "I'm not gonna force you to stay with me. After everything you've done for me and Monica, I... you deserve a chance to be happy."

Carol simply responded by caressing Maria's cheek. With a smirk, she responded, "Well, I'm happy with you. I'm not sure how yet, but... I'll always come back. I promise."

"That's all I ever wanted...", Maria sobbed happily, "I love you."

"I love you too."

The two then moved in to share a long and passionate kiss. It felt like it's been an eternity since they had last kissed, but it feels just a wonderful as the first.

* * *

**Washington DC**

**1996**

It's been a year since Carol had left with the Skrulls. In that time, Maria accepted Fury's offer to become a pilot for SHIELD. After that stupid ban on women flying in combat was axed a few years back, Maria has been able to transport fellow agents to combat zones all over the world and take part in missions vital to national security. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but Maria finally felt like what she did mattered, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

While Carol has been busy in space in all that time, she did give Maria a two-way communication device that allowed the two to talk to each other over a mind-bogglingly advanced video/audio system that Carol dubbed as "video chat". If only such a format existed on Earth. It would make connecting to old friends and family that much easier, but Maria doubt her species will advance that much in her lifetime.

Although Maria enjoyed these calls with Carol and they called almost everyday, she missed having her girlfriend around. Whenever she saw her face on-screen, Maria just wanted to hold her and kiss her like they used to do. She understood and approved of Carol's commitments in space. After all, who was she to keep someone from their true calling? However, this distance nonetheless made Maria long to be with her beloved again.

She could only hope that the next time they meet in person won't be for another six years.

After a long day at work, Maria drove home from the Triskelion to her house in the suburbs. She and Monica moved to DC as soon as Maria accepted Fury's offer. Although adjusting to a new city was difficult for the two at first, mother and daughter eventually got used to their new surroundings and even grew to call it home. Even then, however, there was this vital something that's always missing, a very important part of their family that isn't there most days.

Maria was one intersection away from her neighborhood. While waiting on a red light, she pulled out the video chat device Carol gave her and tried to send a call. After a minute of nothing, her call was sent to voicemail and the callback recording played. Maria sighed and dropped the device into the passenger seat as her fingers were fidgeting on her steering wheel.

Carol hasn't called her for the past two days. Although it was possible that she was just busy, this made Maria nervous.

What if something happened to Carol? Was she hurt, or even...

HONK!

Maria jumped on her seat and realized that the light just turned green. Flushed with embarrassment, Maria put her mind off Carol and concentrated on driving back home. Passing by idyllic green lawns and picturesque houses, Maria came up the driveway of her own home and parked her car in the garage.

Once inside, Maria lazily placed her work bag on her kitchen counter. However, she then heard the faint sounds of two familiar voices. One was obviously her daughter, Monica, but the other...

Maria held her breath in anticipation as she walked out the kitchen banked around a corner to the dining room. She smiled as wide as she could as she saw a most beautiful sight.

Monica was doing her homework, and next to her was Carol helping her with a problem.

Monica narrowed her eyes at her physics homework as she spoke back to Carol, "So... as long as the wheel is in motion, the net forces on the x-axis will equal mass times acceleration. But as long as the wheel is on the ground, the net forces on the y-axis is zero?"

Carol nodded. "You got it. And if by some strange miracle that the wheel started float off the ground, the net forces on y is equal to mass times acceleration too."

"Kinda like how you got your flying powers from that magic cube?"

Carol chuckled. "Good point," she then looked up to see her beloved smiling back at her, "Ahem, you're good here right?"

Monica nodded and said, "I can handle the next few problems on my own. You can do your thing with my mom."

"I... yeah. Thanks. Don't forget about the free body diagrams, Lieutenant Trouble!", Carol yelled as she rushed towards Maria.

"I won't!"

Carol then dragged Maria upstairs in their bedroom, out of sight and out of earshot from Monica.

"I see you're taking your role of Monica's second mom very seriously, huh?", Maria teased.

Carol shrugged. "I had a promise to keep. I want our kid to have  _two_ good parents, you know?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Maria smirked before asking, "When did you get back?"

"This morning. And I'm sorry for not returning your calls. My communicator got broken in Tarnax by an asshole Accuser. I only recently got a new one. I'll give you my new number later."

Maria sighed in relief. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easily, my love," Carol then wrapped her arms around Maria's shoulders, "I promised that I'll always come back, didn't I?"

"Heh, then it's good thing my girl is indestructible, so I never have to worry. Much."

"You got that right."

The two women then moved in for another kiss. It started out gentle and chaste, but as the sexual tension that they buried over the past year resurfaced, their kiss became more heated and passionate. Their hands wandered, feeling up every familiar curve that they knew like no time has passed at all. Once the two separated for air, Carol and Maria were lost in each other's eyes as a rush of desire flowed through them.

Maria smirked as she locked the door behind her. Carol immediately pounced on her capturing Maria's lips with her own before using her super strength to lift her girlfriend up by her thighs. Maria laughed before deepening her kiss with Carol, who was carrying her to bed. Once Carol placed her love gently into the mattress, Maria found her inner boldness and flipped Carol to her back and pinning her there with her weight. After a surprised yelp, Carol laughed as she felt Maria placing loving kisses on her cheek. Then, an exciting shiver ran down her spine as she felt Maria kissing the nape of her neck and unbuttoning her blouse...

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Auntie Carol? I need your help with my algebra homework!"

Carol's cheeks were flustered as she hastily replied, "I'm coming! Just wait a minute."

"Okay!"

Once they heard Monica's footsteps run down the stairs, Maria looked back at her lover and snarked, "It's a good thing I had the foresight to lock that door."

"Yeah, I don't think she'd ever recover seeing both her parents screwing each other," Carol joked back as her girlfriend got off her, "When do think she'll be ready to learn that her aunt is in a relationship with her mother?"

Maria shrugged. "High school?"

"Sounds good to me," Carol said as she got out of bed, "I'll be here all week, then I'll have to go back to Talos. I'll try to come back more often. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that, Danvers," Maria quipped. Carol buttoned up her blouse as she walked towards the door. "We'll continue this tonight, right?"

As she turned the knob, Carol looked back at her and smiled. "You know it."

Maria sighed with satisfaction as she watched her love walk down the stairs to their daughter.

It's been quite the year for Maria Rambeau. She saved the world. She finally found a satisfying job that greatly utilized her skills. And most importantly, the love of her life came back to her. Although Carol's presence in her life will not be as frequent as she would've liked due to her mission in space, Maria was willing to make this work.

Getting together with a galactic demigoddess and raising their daughter with her may not be what Maria had expected, but she was certain that there is nothing in this universe that she wanted more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter down, one more to go!
> 
> I hope you love what I've done with this pairing. The next chapter will involve Carol visiting her mother in her childhood home. For those of you familiar with the comic, The Life of Captain Marvel, I think you'll like what I'll be doing with Carol's mom, Marie. Let's just say that she'll be a big deal in this series going forward.
> 
> Until then, thanks for the read and have a nice day!


	2. Mother's Blessing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! That last chapter really blew up! I didn't think I could get that many hits and kudos on one day. Thank you all so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you did the first.

**Bar Harbor, Maine**

**1996**

A month after Carol's last visit, she was able to give herself a month of time with her new family after thwarting the Kree's latest invasion into Skrull space. Talos assured her that the Kree Empire has been weakened enough from their failed invasion that they will have to divert their attention away from the new Skrull Federation and focus their fleets elsewhere. With a promise to help whenever he called, Carol flew to Earth to be with her beloved and their daughter.

It was summer vacation for Monica now, and Maria convinced Fury to give her some time off. With their schedules free, the Ramvers family decided that the best way to spend their summer together is a good, old-fashioned road trip.

However, the trip wasn't purely for pleasure. Having felt that she had put this off for too long, Carol decided that now was the time to go back to her hometown and tell her mother that she was alive.

The trip took over three days of driving. The family (along with their house pet- Goose the Flerken) took their sweet time- enjoying the sights along the way, resting in hotels, the standard road trip fair. However, it also involved too many hours cramped inside a confining Camaro and listening to Carol's God awful mixtape featuring all of twelve Christmas songs. At first, Monica and Maria found the "Chistmas in July" charm of the mixtape to be delightful. But after listening to the same twelve songs for three days, the mix quickly got annoying and then outright unbearable as Carol sang along cheerfully to the tunes, oblivious to the torture she is putting her family to.

_"Oh, the weather outside is frightful_

_But the fire is so delightful_

_And since we've no place to go_

_Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!"_

Maria covered her ears as her love sang to her heart's content. She tried to fall asleep, but the song and Carol's cover of it was so ear-grating that she couldn't fall asleep. Maria didn't even know this level of annoyance can be achieved, but like many things Carol has put her mind to in her life, she managed break through the limit and fly high. Maria usually loved that part about her, but Carol's show tunes were really pushing it!

Monica had the good sense to bring some books along with her and a Walkman to listen to songs that  _won't_ drive her crazy, and Goose was fortunate enough to not comprehend the inanity of listening to the same twelve songs for hours as she blissfully gnawed at her twelfth can of tuna (a full flerken is less homicidal than a hungry flerken after all).

Maria was really jealous of them right now.

Once "Let it Snow" ended, the next song of Carol Danvers' Christmas mixtape from Hell played.

"Oh man! This is my favorite song!", Carol cheered innocently as she began to sing along.

_"Jingle bells!_

_Jingle bells!_

_Jingle all the way!_

_Oh what fun it is to ride in a bad-ass Ca-ma-ro!_

_Hey!"_

"That again...", Maria grumbled under her breath. Carol's been singing that last bit every time she sang "Jingle Bells". Like everything else in her mixtape, it started out as charming, but now it is another reminder to Maria that she has to endure this torture for another  _five hours_ until they finally reached the Promised Land... I mean Bar Harbor. "But at this point, it might as well be the Promised Land if I never have to listen to this damn soundtrack again for the rest of my life..."

Maria wanted to endure this for Carol. She wanted her love enjoy the time she has on Earth, and she seems to enjoy singing along to this soundtrack for over nine hours straight.

But even her love for Carol has limits, and love fades in the wake of soul-crushing irritation, so Maria spoke up, "Let's see what's on the radio today."

"Sure. Go ahead," Carol hummed. However, Maria's hand was already in motion before she could begin her sentence.

_"I'll make your body quake with my s** machine!_

_I won't stop until I hear your mother scream!"_

Monica switched back to the mixtape. Maybe listening to Carol sing the same twelve songs isn't so bad after all.

"Okay... that was... a thing that was said," Carol hummed awkwardly. She didn't even sang along when "Jingle Bells" started playing again.

"Yeah, that was really bad timing on my part," Maria said shuddering, "I hope it's not a sign..."

"Amen, my love," Carol said before turning off the radio all together, "You know you could've said that you were tired of my mixtape. I'm not that cruel."

Maria sighed in relief. Seeing that Monica had her headphones on and reading  _Odyssey,_ Maria quickly moved in to kiss Carol in the cheek. "Thank you."

As Maria leaned on the car door to drift off to sleep, Carol just stared ahead with a flustered expression and a deep blush on her cheeks. She then smiled to herself as she conducted the rest of the drive in silence.

* * *

When the family arrived at Bar Harbor, it was in the middle of night. The streets were almost dead silent with very few people walking about. The only lights that could be seen for miles were on the streetlamps or the moon as the buildings were pitch black inside.

Despite this almost deserted landscape, Carol could feel a rush of memories coming to her as she drove by the streets she used to roam as a child. She remembered going to Sugar's Donuts shop with her brothers. She remembered teasing the owner's son, Louis, about his crush on her. And Carol remembered her first kiss. The girl who helped her discover something beautiful inside herself, something that helped her find the happiness she would enjoy today.

Avril Kincaid.

She then remembered when her father had caught them kissing in their backyard. She remembered how Joseph slapped her and told her that what she was feeling was wrong. She remembered him beating her brothers, refusing to help pay her tuition for college, and she remembered why she avoided visiting this place for so long.

Her hometown was always a complicated place for Carol. No matter how much Carol wanted to, she couldn't separate the good memories from the bad. That's probably why it took this long for her to gather enough strength to finally visit her mother.

"At least I got my girls with me," Carol said smiling as she glanced Maria's sleeping form and glanced at Monica napping with Goose snuggled next to her from the rearview mirror.

When Carol finally arrived at her old house, she took a deep breath as she stared at the home that, for better and for worse, made her the woman she was today. Carol killed the engine and moved to open her door. However, a wave of anxiety paralyzed the normally fearless Carol Danvers.

"Am I... am I really doing this?", she thought, "Should I do this? I should, but... why is this so hard?!"

Maria woke up and yawned. She scanned her new surroundings for a moment and saw an old, but beautiful house on a hill next to a prominent lighthouse. She looked at Carol and asked, "Are we here?"

Carol was silent for moment. After finally getting the shaking on her hand to stop, she looked back at Maria and said, "Yeah."

Maria took another look at her girlfriend's old home and smiled. "Nice place. It's prettier than I thought it would be."

"It's the lighthouse, right? It really completes the New England look."

"I can see that," Maria then held her love's shoulder, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Carol smirked. "That's usually my line..."

Maria smiled back, "We've come full circle then."

Carol laughed sadly. "I didn't think coming back here would be this hard. I mean, I know it would be difficult, but... I have a lot of good memories here. But my dad... he's in a lot of them. Every time I think of him, I could see him looking down on me. Judging me. Hitting me... why can't I just let that drunk bastard go for my mom's sake? You'd think I could by now..."

"I can't even imagine what you're feeling right now," Maria said sympathetically before moving her hand over Carol's.

"What if she doesn't want to see me?", Carol said on the verge of tears, "It's been so long... and with everything that happened to me... what I turned into... what if she starts seeing me as disappointment like he did?"

Maria caressed her love's cheek. "Listen, we don't have to do this tonight if you don't want to. We have all the time in the world now. But when you do finally decide to see her again, know that Monica and I will be there to support you like you did us."

Carol took a deep breath.

She thought about how lucky she was to have Maria in her life. To have this family of theirs in her life. Even when she was in space, Carol felt that the family she had made on Earth was what kept her going when things were at their hardest.

They were her rock, and Carol was glad to be reminded of that.

"Thank you," Carol took a deep breath, "I think I can go now."

"Do you want us with you?"

Carol shook her head. "Not yet."

"Then go get her, girl," Maria said with an encouraging smirk.

Carol nodded as she practically ripped herself out of the car door. She walked across the driveway as quickly as she could. If she slowed down, Carol felt that the weight of her emotions might make her turn back. And Carol couldn't afford to turn back. Not now.

She needed to do this for the one parent who always had her back.

Once Carol reached the front door, she stood as still as a statue and took a deep breath. She reached out to ring the doorbell but hesitated once her finger was mere centimeters away.

Her hand shook as Carol took a deep breath and told herself, "You can do this. Don't let him take this from her."

Holding her breath, Carol pressed the button, releasing a mechanical ring that was muffled behind the door. After what felt like an eternity, Carol heard footsteps and watched the door slowly open to reveal an older woman, who resembled Carol greatly in a lot of ways save for the grey hairs on her head and the blue in her eyes.

The woman gazed upon Carol in shock upon seeing her. She took a step back and her hands clammed up as if she's not believing what her eyes were showing her.

After a tense silence, Carol's mother, Marie, whimpered out, "Carol? Is that you?"

Holding her tears back, Carol forced a smile. "Hey ma... it's me."

Marie stepped forward hesitantly. Her hand hovered her daughter's cheek as if she hesitated to test if what she was seeing was real. But once she felt Carol's cheek with her hand, Marie's eyes teared up like waterfalls and as she rushed to wrap her daughter in a tight embrace.

"I missed you...", Marie cried holding her daughter as if she was trying to prevent the universe from separating them again.

Carol could no longer hold back her tears as she returned her mother's embrace and said, "I missed you too, ma..."

* * *

A few minutes later, Carol invited Monica and Maria inside her old home. The Carol and Marie sat around the dining table to catch up, while Maria hung out with Monica and Goose on the living room to give the two women much needed privacy.

Marie started the conversation by saying, "How... how is this possible? They told me you died in a plane crash."

"Look at me, ma. I didn't die," Carol said her cheerful tone betraying the apprehension she feels inside.

Marie sniffled as she felt her tears returning. "I mourned you for seven years... what happened to you? Where did you go?"

Carol saw the anguish coming off her mother's face. She saw the pain that she must have buried for years. The pain of having to outlive your own children, a pain that her mother knew all too well. Carol sighed as she thought of her late older brother, Steve. Her mother deserved the full truth, no matter how crazy it sounds.

"My plane didn't just crash, ma. It was shot down."

"Shot down? By whom?"

There really is no easy way to put this. "Ma... what I'm about to say will sound insane. But I promise that everything that I'm about to say is all true. Do you trust me?"

Marie looked at her daughter confused before nodding. "I trust you. Just tell me..."

Carol took a deep breath. "We were shot down... by aliens. They called themselves the Kree."

Carol paused to guage her mother's expression. She couldn't tell what her true reaction was by looking. In fact, she could barely see a reaction at all. It was confusing. You'd think that having your child say that they were attacked by aliens would garner some sort of reaction.

But at least she wasn't being disbelieving.

Carol continued, "They were after this experimental engine that Doctor Lawson had been working on. This engine allowed aircraft to fly at lightspeed, and the Kree wanted that and the power source that charged it. I couldn't let that happen, so I destroyed the Lightspeed Engine before they could take it. But the explosion, it... gave me... abilities."

"What abilities?"

Against her better judgement, Carol raised one of her hands and used her powers to make it burn bright gold with photonic energy. That was enough to garner a reaction from Marie.

"Oh...", she hummed with rather subdued surprise.

Carol didn't know if that was a good reaction, so she lowered her hand and continued, "The Kree, they... they took me prisoner. They took me back to their planet, and they... they tampered with my memories, ma. They made me think I was one of them. I suppose I am now. My blood is now blue," Carol said with small chuckle, "They... turned me into a soldier. A killer. The things they made me do... I'm not sure if I'll ever forgive myself for what I've done. If it wasn't for Maria and the others... I would've remained that person. I know this hard for you to understand. I'm sorry if..."

Marie simply held her daughter's hands as she started to tear up. With a maternal smile, she told Carol, "I understand completely, sweetheart."

"You do?", Carol asked almost not believing what she was hearing.

Marie nodded. "I know you've been through so much over the years we've been apart. I know how much you're hurting inside. But I also know that you are the same girl I raised. Brave, strong, and too headstrong for her own good. It's a little wonder why you were able to break away from the empire and come back to me."

Carol felt her tears flow over her cheeks as she moved forward and wrapped her mother in a big hug. "Thanks ma... thank you for understanding."

Marie returned her daughter's hug. "I'll always be there for you, my sweet Carol."

"How did you know the Kree had an empire?"

"I... I watched the Star Wars movies a hundred times, sweetheart. It's always an empire."

Carol laughed as the two women separated. "I should've come back sooner."

"You needed time to process what you've been through. I understand why you didn't until now," Marie said, "I trust you found a place to stay? You could stay in your old room if you don't."

Carol shook her head. "I already have one in DC. With Maria."

"Your Air Force friend?"

"Yeah. She's... she's the best."

After a moment, Marie smiled. "Then let's not keep our guests waiting, then. I'm sure they'd appreciate a Danvers family dinner."

"Oh God yes!", Carol exclaimed happily as she followed her mother back to the living room.

* * *

Marie spent the next hour preparing a big feast for her daughter and her guests. Carol had wanted to help, but Maria insisted that she should do it instead. With the emotional rollercoaster that Carol put herself through, Maria wanted her love to relax for a bit. Besides, it gives her the opportunity to get to know her girlfriend's mother.

As she finishing grilling the stir fry on the pan, Marie turned to Maria, who was gathering the fried fish and biscuits into the same dish, and said, "You seem to get along well with my daughter, Maria."

Maria tried to hide her blush as she responded, "Yeah... she's like... like a sister to me. She helped me get through the academy, and helped me raise my daughter."

"You two must be very close then."

"We are, yes," Maria hummed happily as she looked at Carol with their daughter as they feed Goose some cat food so that she wouldn't get hungry enough to eat Sox, Marie's cat, "I honestly don't know what I could've done without her."

Marie smiled at Maria. "I'm glad my Carol made such a supportive friend. I've never seen her this happy in a long time."

Maria shrugged. "We look out for each other. It's what friends do."

"Indeed," Marie hummed as she dumped the stir fry into the plate, "So where's Mr. Rambeau? Unless he's gained invisibility powers from a space alien, I don't see him with you."

"Frank?", Maria looked at the older woman curiously. She then sighed, a little down on herself, as she explained, "We separated years ago. He's no longer part of the picture."

"His loss, then. Anyone would be lucky to have you as their wife," Marie complimented. Maria blushed as the older woman walked over and patted her shoulder. "I'm glad Carol found someone who makes her happy."

"Yeah..." Maria said staring at Carol. She then realized what Marie had just said. She looked back at her with her eyes wide with shock. "You know?!"

Marie laughed. "Of course I knew. The way Carol talks about you and how you look at her make that point painfully obvious."

"And you don't mind that we... are together? From what little Carol told me, I don't think your... husband would've approved."

Marie looked away as she thought about her late husband. "I loved Joseph greatly... but he was a flawed man, blinded by the prejudices that he was raised on. I don't want to lose my daughter again. I just got her back. So if she gave her heart to you, then you're as good as family."

Maria smiled. "Thank you. Carol and I... we appreciate your understanding."

"It's no problem. I always wanted grandchildren," Marie said as she watched Carol showing Monica her old model airplane collection, "And besides, she's not my first child to show such... preferences."

"Really?", Maria hummed surprised. Her eyes then lit up when she realized, "Right... Carol told me Joe Junior got with some guy in Canada. Rusty, I think his name was."

"Yes. That's the name," Marie murmured as her thoughts drifted towards her eldest child instead.

Maria looked around at the counter and said, "Dinner looks to be done. You need help carrying the rest of the plates?"

Marie shook her head. "I'm not an invalid yet. You go gather the girls. I'll get the plates."

"Thanks, Mrs. Danvers."

"Please. Call me Marie."

"Marie. Got it," she said before leaving for the living room.

As Marie carried to plates over to the table, she thought to herself, "Should I tell them now? Should I tell Car-Ell my secret?"

As her daughter and her new family approached the table, Marie shook her head and told herself. "Maybe another day..."

Marie joined Carol, Maria, and Monica as they sat down for dinner. It was a fun time for the entire family. Good food was eaten, stories were shared, and an atmosphere of love and respect radiated throughout the meal.

It's been a long time since the Danvers house has seen this much happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave that plot beat hanging, but I will return to it one day. I promise.
> 
> And with this chapter coming to a close, I finally completed my first fanfic! Yay! Granted, it's a two-shot that wasn't that long, but it's something! To me anyway...
> 
> Before we check out, I should deal out some trivia. The radio song that Maria turned to is called "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" by Joe. I came across it in a YouTube video by The Social Tune when searching for bad songs made in 1996. I found that one particular lyric to be so funny and so topical for that situation that I just had to use it.
> 
> And as for Carol's half-brother, Joe Junior, I admit that there's no proof confirming or denying his sexual orientation in the comics (as far as I am aware of). I made the choice to make him gay here to help move the story along as well as to reference Shatterstar, who may or may not show up in the future.
> 
> But with Carol and Joe Junior both being bisexual and gay respectively in this AU, I had a thought. Why not make the rest of the Danvers family gay too! Steve was pansexual before he died, and Marie is bisexual. I honestly don't know how Marie was able to stand being around Joseph until his death, but I do love the thought of him rolling in his grave as his surviving family gets to live to see gay marriage get legalized and be more open with their orientations.
> 
> That should be it for now. I don't think I need to remind you all of how grateful I am for your support for this story and its series, so I'm just gonna say thank you for the read and have a nice day!


End file.
